Ravalli County Highpoint Trip Report

Trapper Peak (10,157 feet)

Date: August 20, 2008
Author: Adam Helman

This effort is part of a larger journey collecting Montana and Idaho county highpoints in August 2008.

Darby is the last place to secure provisions, and gasoline, for this effort. There are no communities of note for many many miles south along US Route 93 - so Darby is your best option coming from either direction.

The Trapper Peak turnoff is at logical mile marker 11.2 along MT-473. Drive this road, turning left after 0.6 mile, signed "Trapper Peak 6 miles". From MT-473 it is a total of 6.4 miles to the trailhead. Good, broad dirt road.

Perhaps 30 or 45 minutes into the ascent a 25 foot downhill section adds 50 feet to the total elevation gain.

I make excellent time due to the broad, well-traveled trail. The weather turns foul as I approach the summit; and my time there is shortened on account of light drizzle. Rather, I take my "summit break", with anticipated snack food, near treeline at perhaps 9,000 or 9,200 feet.

I consume 2 hours 30 minutes for the ascent and 4 hours 44 minutes round-trip including all breaks.